CNEOS predicts that this 170m-540m NEO will make a close approach on 2022 Sep 1 23:30±<00:01 UT at a distance of 0.05357 AU. H=20.3, 'Rarity'=1, Condition Code=0. I almost missed ths one because it's just outside the 0.05 AU limit that I normally check.

ST4v predicts that this object will reach a peak brightness of 16.3 magnitude around midnight August 30 (EDT) when it will be moving from Lacerta into Cepheus ~22"/min. It's already predicted to be 16.4 magnitude tonight. Here's an Interactive Atlas chart showing the predicted path from Aug 27-Sep 1 as seen from Columbus, Ohio: [attachment=2479]

The ephemeris calculated using MPC's elements for 2022 Aug 28 0000 UT is attached below.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

The CNEOS website predicts that the recently discovered NEO 2022 QX4 will make a close approach on 2022 Aug 29 09:24±00:07 UT. The approach distance is 0.01225 AU, H=24.6, 'Rarity'=1, Condition Code=8. This NEO was discovered on August 24.

Using MPC's elements for 2022 Aug 25 00:00 UT, ST4v predicts that this NEO will reach a peak brightness of 15.1 magnitude on August 28 at 2300 EDT (Aug 29 0300 UT) when it will be in Aquarius moving at 60.6"/min. Here's an interactive Atlas chart showing the path of this NEO as seen from Columbus, Ohio: [attachment=2469]

Interestingly, the path goes through the earth's shadow at 2300 EDT. It's probably too distant at 0.01 AU to be eclipsed though.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

When I have Saturn up at 21:32:27 CDT August 22, and do a search for 14th magnitude Janus, I get a list of objects that does not include Janus. Is it because ST4 thinks it is too faint to see near the rings and therefore will not display? However, Mimus at mag 13 and Hyperion at 14.3 are shown.

Another app says that Janus is not a valid object. Several others have it displayed at RA 21h35m07s DEC 15°44'57".

Bug or just the way ST works?

I would like to store my working files and configuratiuons on my Microsoft OneDrive so that I can access them from both of my computers.

Is this possible?  

Thanks

Rich

Hi MP Hunters,

There hasn't been much happening on the close approach front lately, so I decided to increase the CNEOS Earth Distance parameter (Re) to 0.2 AU to look for some large MPs (H<18). I found (2100) Ra-Shalom that's currently ~0.2 AU distant, H=16.4, 'Rarity'=1. Minimum Re is predicted to be 0.18733 AU on 2022 Aug 31 17:28 ± <00:01 UT. 

ST4v predicts that this NEO will reach a peak brightness of 14.0 magnitude on Sep 2-6. The light curve is very flat. The object is predicted to be brighter than 15.0 magnitude from Aug 16 to Sep 18, so it should already be visible to northern hemisphere observers with medium sized telescopes moving through Andromeda before it moves into Pegasus. The motion is ~5"/min.

Here's an Interactive Atlas chart showing the predicted path from Aug 17 - Sep 19 as seen from Columbus, OH: [attachment=2461]

There should be plenty of time to observe this one & it's quite bright (already predicted 15.1). It won't be quite as bright as (161989) Cacus, but could be a nice warm-up.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

On my desktop copy of SkyTools, I made an attachment folder called "My Sketches" and attached a few sketches I had made recently of Jupiter, Saturn and a few interesting double-stars. 

I shared my %AppData%\Skyhound\SkyTools 4 folder so my laptop could see it and then I tried to synchronize my laptop copy of SkyTools to my desktop copy using Tools > Sync Databases command.

I checked all the boxes (including Attachments) and then selected my SkyTools 4 folder and started the sync. Some kind of error occurred, and the sync operation failed with an error.

Now, my laptop has my observing lists, notes and even the My Sketches folder. But the sketch images didn't come across. I repeated this a few times with no more success.

Two Questions:

1. When you attach an image, is it copied into the %AppData%\Skyhound\SkyTools 4 folders where the sync operation can access it? Or, do I need to share the full path to each image as well?

2. Is this the right way to attach my sketches to the objects I've observed? Over the years, I probably have a dozen Saturn sketches. I was hoping to organize them all in SkyTools so I could see what I've observed on other dates or what I'm likely to see tomorrow.

CNEOS predicts that this NEO will make a close approach on 2022 Aug 20 21:21 ±00:02 UT at a distance of 0.03531 AU (10x 2022 PW). H=22.1, 'Rarity'=1, Condition Code=2.

Using orbital elements from 2022 Aug 9 00:00 UT, ST4v predicts that this NEO will reach a peak brightness of 16.1 magnitude on Aug 18 00:00 EDT when it will be at 0.04 AU moving through Capricornus at 18.5"/min. It's predicted to fade slightly to 16.3 magnitude by Aug 20, again ~00:00 EDT when it will be in Aquila moving at 21.3"/min. Here's an Interactive Atlas chart showing the predicted path of this NEO: [attachment=2457]

This object has been on the CNEOS website for ~1 month with an uncertainty of close approach time of several days. It must have been recently reacquired. They've got it nailed down now, until it gets purturbed.

Happy hunting,

Phil S.

The newly discovered NEO 2022 PW is predicted to make a close approach according to the CNEOS website on 2022 Aug 16 02:32 ±04:13 UT at a distance of 0.00353 AU. H=25.4, 'Rarity'=1, Condition Code=7. The data arc is only 1 day, hence the uncertainty in the time of close approach.

Using osculating elements for 2022 Aug 7 00:00 UT, ST4v predicts that this NEO will reach a peak brightness of 15.5 magnitude on August 15 04:00 EDT when the MP will be moving northeast through Pegasus at 85.9"/min. The moon will interfere, unfortunately. Here's an Interactive Atlas chart showing the predicted path of 2022 PW: [attachment=2456]

Since this NEO was discovered so recently, I'd recommend downloading elements closer to the time of close approach after there have been more observations to refine the orbit. It's still a week away.

I'll post additional information closer to the event as the orbit is refined.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

The iTelescope system is adding a new widefield system - T80 - in Spain. The objective is another 135 mm Samyang camera lens similar to their system in Chile. I don't know how much they'll be charging to use this system. Hopefully this system will be more usable than the one in Chile.

They've announced a webinar to be held this Friday, August 5.[/url]

Here's the link to the info about T80: [url=https://support.itelescope.net/support/solutions/articles/254953-telescope-80?utm_source=iTelescope+Full+List&utm_campaign=e7bfb3a1d2-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_11_01_10_38_COPY_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ccda314cde-e7bfb3a1d2-315529421]Telescope 80 : Support (itelescope.net)

Phil S.

Saw this interesting piece out of NASA History - A History of Near-Earth Objects Research.
Light reading for a cloudy night...
https://www.nasa.gov/connect/ebooks/hist...earch.html